Personal hair cutter



July 31, 1962 F. T. I ETCHFIELD ETAL 3,046,654

PERSONAL HAIR CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1961 il.. il .11,102,151

July 31, 1962 F. T. LETcHFlELD ETAL 3,046,654.

PERSONAL HAIR CUTTER Filed June 9, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,046,654 PERSONAL HAIR CUTTER Francis T. Letcheld and Francis T. Letchiield, Jr., both of 431 Canyon Road, San Mateo, Calif. Filed June 9, 1961, Ser. No. 115,986 7 Claims. (Cl. 30-201) to afford a complete haircut.

With increasing costs of hair cutting in barber shops and beauty shops andthe like and with the increasing attention being given to personal grooming, it is an ob'- ject of our invention to afford `a power driven hair cutting device for use by an individual on himself in an expeditious and facile way.

Another object of the invention is to provide a personal hair cutter that is readily useable by either hand of the user and is effective for use upon himself to atiord a satisfactory .and professional looking result.

Another object or the invention is to provide a personal hair cutter which `can readily be manipulated by the user, particularly on parts of his head that he cannot normally see, yet will laford the desired kind of result, despitethe lack of visibility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a per-V sonal hair cutter which can be set or arranged to afford precisely the kind and length of haircut selected.

Another object of lthe invention is to provide a hair cutter for personal use that is light, easily handled and manipulated, is easy to manufacture and can be produced for a relatively low price and that requires but a of attention and servicing for cleaning andrmaintenance.

Other objects together with the foregoing are attained in the embodiments of the invention described in the accompanying description `and illustrated in the `accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a side' elevation of a personal hair cutter constructed pursuant to the invention and 'as it is arrangedA for normal use;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view showing various parts of the hair cutter in partially disassembled relationship,

URE 3 but with the parts in diierent adjusted relation-f ship and indicating the attitude of the device in an actual hair cutting operation;

lFIGURE 5 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 5 5 of FIGURE 1;V

FIGURE 6 is asimilar cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 6 6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is another cross section, the plane of whichY is indicated by the line 7-7 of FIGURE l; and

FlGURE 8 is a view in cross section similar to FIG- URE 6V but showing a modiiied form of Spring force :ar-

rangement.

While the personal hair cutter of our invention can be practically embodied in a number of different forms and is not limi-ted to personal use, it has successfully been manufactured in accordance with the `showing in the accompanying drawings for use by an individual in cuttingA In this embodiment thereV and trimming his own hair. is provided `a housing 6y generally symmetricalabout a longitudinal axis 7 and conveniently contoured both in United States Patent ice i size and in shape to be readily accommodated in'either hand of a user. Conveniently, the housing 6 is made of a plastic material in the requisite number otpieces and is utilized as an enclosure for some of the mechanism and as a support or frame.

Extending from one end of the housing 6 along the t spaced below the top plate 12 are serrated members 13 j and 14. These are substantiallyidentical so that the description of one applies equally to the other. Each of the members has an inner face 16 of planar extent designed to butt against the adjacent -side face 17 of the Iframe member 8.v On theinside of the member 14 there is an indentedstep 18 and an otset 19. These leave not only the planar face 16 but also demark rplanar portions 21Y and 22. On `the other side of and along the serrated member there `are formed outstanding transverse ribs 23` rin av series. The ribs are generally parallel to a planar outer surface 24 which is inset `and continues in an inwardly angledrportion 26. The intersection of the in-Y' wardly angled portion 26 having downward continuations' of the ribs 23 thereon with the planar surface 22 affords*` a number of edge teeth 27. l t

The two serrated members 13 and 14 are assembled` against the faces 17 off the frame member in mirror symmetry about the axis 7 and are fastenedin place by` sleeve nuts 3-1 and 32 engaged by machine screws 3.3 andA 34. The sleeve nuts and machine screws pass appropriy ately through receiving apertures 36 and 37 in each of the serrated members and also through openings 38 and-V 3 9 through the frame bar l1. In this fashion there isz aiorded an assembly detining an lappropriately contoured,` symmetrical central channel generally ldesignated 41. In cross section the channel 41 has an enlarged portion in part deiined by the lower surface 42 of the frame bar 11 serving as a guide way and in part defined by the planar' surfaces 2l and 22 of the opposing serrated members` and also in part defined by the steps 18 andthe olsets 19 t in the facing serrated members. Y I The precise dimensions and Width ofthe channel 41 are slightly variable by variable interengagement of the sleeve l' nuts Bland 32 with the machine screws 33` and 34, the

.K tightening of the screws being opposed by normally pro -jecting coil springs 43 andv 44 resting in passages 46 andY 47 in the fra-me bar 11. The length ci the springs .43,1

by motion-s in the direction of the `axis 7,as indicated by the double headed arrow 48, is a cutter 51. This is a` member having a bar head 52 designed to iit appropriately within the enlarged pontion of the channel 41 and also having a thin depending planar portion 53 designed to operate well between the surfaces 22 in particular. Thee,

cutter is also formed with teeth 54 `along its lower margin in positions to cooperate appropriately with the teeth 27 1 of the serrated members. i

Y Means are provided for reciprocating the blade or cutter 51 within the mounting. One `end of the bar head 52' is firmly secured .to a shaft 56 passing through the tubuf lar portion 9 of the frame member 8. The portion 9r4 aci/.acm

serves as a mounting bearing for the shaft which extends into the housing 6 and is connected to a driving or power member 57. This is not shown or described in detail since it is a standard electrically driven oscillator effective to reciprocate the shaft 56 -to and fro in an amount approximatelyequal to the pitch or spacing between the successive teeth 27. The driving member or motor 57 is supplied with power by an electrical cord 58 extending into the housing 6 through a manual control switch 59 arranged so `that the user can turn the oscillating driver 57 off and on at his pleasure.

To cooperate with the cutting unit, as so far described, there is provided a comb unit 60. This includes a base having a channel 61 formed therein slidably to engage the top plate 12 with an easy tit, the base being readily centered and temporarily held by a spring-pressed detent ball 62 in the upper portion of the plate 12 designed to engage a depression 63 (FIGURE 7) in the channel 61.

Ears 64 and 65 extend upwardly in an integral fashion from the ends of the channel V61 and receive thumb screws 66 and 67. These frictionally hold a mounting plate 68 having downturned lugs =69 and 71 gripped by the screws. The plate 68 terminates in a hinge edge 72 from which a pivoted attaching plate 73 extends. A comb 74 of usual construction is secured to the hinged attaching plate by rivets 76 or other convenient fastening and is positioned with respect to the channel 61 by a pair of parallel links 77 `and 78 (FIGURE l). These links at one end are connected to the comb 74 by pivots 79` and at the other end are provided with slots 81 so that the Vother ends of the parallel links encompass the shafts of the thumb screws 66 and 67. With this arrangement, as illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 4 particularly, the thumb screws can be loosened and the comb 74 adjusted to have not only any desired angular relationship with the plane of the cutter `51 but also to have a wide range of adjustment of the distance between the end of the comb and the end of the cutter.

As a modification of the spring arrangement shown especially in FIGURE 6 and the mounting of the serrated plates on the frame bar 11, there can be provided as shown in FIGURE 8 an arrangement in which the base frame at appropriate locations has extending lugs 91 and 92 receiving pivot pins 93 and 94 supporting the serrated members 96 and 97. Springs 98 passing through the frame member bear at their opposite end against the portions of the serrated plates above the pivot pins 93 and 94. Thus, the serrated plates at their lower portions are forced against the cutter blade with the right amount of pressure. The blade is not only maintained in proper cutting relation ship with the serrated plates in the beginning, but the plates continue to press against the yblade as wear occurs so that the device stays in appropriate adjustment.

In the use of either form of the device, particularly as indicated in FIGURE 4, the switch 59 is energized and the oscillator 57 moves the shaft S6 to and fro along the axis 7 at a rapid rate, oscillating the 4blade `51 in the direction of the axis and between the serrated plates. With the comb 74 in adjusted position as shown in FIGURE 4, the user, grasping the housing 6 in his hand, moves the comb over his head and in contact therewith so that the cutter is maintained in proper relationship or spacing thereto and the hair is cut to the desired length. With the mounting of the comb as shown, the comb frame can be removed and reversed so th at either left-hand or right-hand relationships can be obtained and by varying the adjustment from time to time during the cutting of his hair the user can get the desired result.

Long continued use of the device can be appropriately effected without deleterious overheating of the cutter because the thermal path from the motor, the principal heat source, is relatively long and relatively small in cross section and has a substantial surface exposed to the air. Experience has indicated that even long continued use does i not produce a cutter temperature too high for the users comfort.

What is claimed is:

l. A personal hair cutter comprising a housing substantially symmetrical about an axis and adapted to be held in the hand, a frame member secured to said housing on one side of said axis and extending therefrom in the direction of said axis, means on said frame member dening a mounting block having a planar guide Way thereon disposed on said side of and parallel to said axis and having parallel planar side faces disposed on either side of said axis, serrated members secured to said mounting block in contact with said side faces and extending therefrom in parallel spaced relationship from said side of said axis to the Aother side thereof, a cutter disposed between said serrated members in operative relationshp therewith, said cutter having a bar head in sliding engagement with said guide way and having a planar portion extending to said other side of said axis, a shaft extending from said housing along said axis and connected to one end of said bar head of said cutter, and driving means in said housing for reciprocating said shaft and said cutter in the direction of said axis.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which said serrated members are spring pressed in opposite directions toward engagement with opposite sides of said cutter.

3. A personal hair cutter comprising a housing substantially symmetrical about a first axis and contoured to be held` in the hand, a frame member secured to said housing at one end thereof and projecting therefrom in the direction of said first axis, a pair of serrated members disposed symmetrically to and on opposite sides of said frame member, means for securing said serrated members to said frame member with a channel therebetween and parallel to said rst axis, a cutter blade disposed in said channel, means in said housing and connected to said cutter blade for reciprocating said cutter blade in the direction of -said rst axis, a comb, a mounting plate, means for supporting said mounting plate on said frame member for pivotal movement about a second axis parallel to said rst axis, means for supporting said comb on saidl mounting plate for pivotal movement about a third axis parallel to said rst axis, and means for adjustably holding said mounting plate and said comb on said frame member in various positions relative to said second axis and said third axis.

4. A device as in claim 3 in which said holding means includes a friction device for holding the adjusted position of said comb as to angle with respect to the cutter and as to distance from the cutter.

5. A personal hair cutter comprising a housing substantially symmetrical about an axis and contoured to be held in the hand, a frame member secured to said housing Iand projecting therefrom in the direction of said axis, a

' cutter blade, means for mounting said cutter yblade on said frame member for reciprocation in the direction of said axis, means on said frame member overlying and cooperating with said blade for providing a series of serrations in the direction of said axis, said serrations extending transversely of said axis, means in said housing and connected to said blade for reciprocating said blade in the direction of said axis, a comb having a series of teeth, said teeth extending transversely of said axis, a mounting plate pivotally supported on said frame member, and means for mounting said comb on said mounting plate for movement of said comb bodily toward and away from said frame member in a direction transversely of said axis.

6. A device as in claim 5, in which said mounting means for said comb includes a pair of parallel links pivotally connected to said comb.

7. A device as in claim 5 in which said mounting means for said comb includes a comb unit having a longitudinal channel engageable from either end with a top plate on said frame member, whereby said comb can be reversed References Cied in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Priest Oct. 26, 1880 Friedman June 17, 1930 6 Holsclaw Mar. 3, 1942 Prohaska May 6, 1952 Mueller Oct. 21, 1952 Dickerson Mar. 1, 1955 McAuliffe Nov. 8, 1955 Gent Mar. 20, 1956 Vitale Mar. 25, 1958 Johnson Apr. 28, 1959 

